14 The Metacognition of College Studentship:
A Grounded Theory Approach

Michael Pressley University of Notre Dame Shawn Van Etten
University at Albany, State University of New York Linda Yokoi University of Maryland at College Park Geoffrey Freebern
University at Albany, State University of New York Peggy Van Meter Pennsylvania State University

We are interested in how college students cope with the academic demands
made on them -- how they manage all of their courses at once! As metacognitive theorists, we come to this task with certain strong assumptions
( Flavell, P. Miller, & S. Miller, 1993, chapter 7). We assume that studying
and time management involve at least some use of strategies and are affected
by student prior knowledge related to the content of courses. Metacognition, which is knowledge and beliefs about thinking and the factors affecting
thinking, regulates the articulation of strategies and knowledge. Yes, some
use of study strategies and application of prior knowledge during study
probably are automatized and occur without conscious regulation, but a
great deal of studying and academic self-management involves conscious
decision making and self-regulation. When that is the case, students'
knowledge and beliefs about when and where to use various strategies is a
primary determinant of how students tackle academic demands. Motivation
also plays a role, with student cognition very much a function of whether

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